By Mitch Gaynor
A new eco-farmstay in the Sunshine Coast hinterland is being promoted as a blueprint for the future of tourism in regional Queensland, combining conservation, agriculture and low-impact luxury.
Seven Hills Estate at Conondale officially launched the first stage of its development on February 7, unveiling three off-grid eco-lodges and a shared barbecue kitchen set across a 420-acre property bordering Conondale National Park.
Owners James and Michelle Burnett have spent the past three years restoring the land, which includes open pasture, forest edges and rolling hills, after decades of logging and grazing.
“For us it was about protecting what was left and bringing the land back to life,” Mr Burnett said.
“There was a lot of clear-felling in the past, even down into the gullies.
“We wanted to preserve the tranquillity, the peacefulness and quite simply the nature that was already here.”
The couple has approval for eight lodges to be delivered in two stages and recently placed about 250 acres under a Nature Refuge covenant, making it one of the largest protected private conservation areas in the Sunshine Coast region.
Mr Burnett said opening the property to visitors was a natural next step.
“We realised we were onto something special and decided it was worth sharing with more than just family and friends,” he said.
Environment and Tourism Minister and Member for Glass House, Andrew Powell, said the venture ticked the right boxes for both eco and agri-tourism and aligned with the state government’s broader tourism strategy.
“To be able to relax here, go for a bushwalk and then learn about regenerative farming practices is exactly what people are looking for,” he said.
Mr Powell said Seven Hills Estate was “a shining example” of the type of tourism the government wanted to see more of across the state.
“Queensland has wonderful natural landscapes,” he said.
“People want to get out and in them and understand them, love them, respect them, but they also want to come and relax and do it in comfort. That’s why the whole concept of eco-tourism is growing.”
He said visitors were also increasingly interested in where their food came from and how it was produced.
“With agri-tourism, people want to know where their banana jam or their steaks are coming from and that it’s done responsibly,” he said.